Blog użytkownika:Tydeus 2000/WB-10
Poland (1927) Medium tank - 2 prototypes The WB-10 (in other versions W.B.10) was the first tank designed and build in Poland - and the only one tank built in the Second Polish Republic as full polish armored vehicle, without inspirations from the other countries (like TK tankettes or 7TP). Planned as successor of french Renaults FT it could have been main polish tank - but as WB-10 completely failed, whole project landed in the dustbin of history. Today this forgotten machine is the one giant riddle... Story New polish tank In 1925 the only one type of polish tanks - FT - was evaluated as "needing modernisation" (however, still useable). It had lousy maximal speed, weak armanent, and had problems with ground impediments. The trial of purchase the British tanks Medium Mark D was failed. Moreover, polish experts did mistake and tried to buy tanks Medium Tank Mk. I (tanks from year 1916, used in first world war). French tanks NC were unsatisfactory. Finaly, polish army decided that Poland should be independence and create own tanks, independently from other countries - it also neutralized charges for international transportations. So in 1926 polish press promulgated the contest for project of new tank. The requirements of the contest were inclements. 12-ton tank must had: *Armor enough strong to resist the 13 mm anti-tank bullets shooted from 50 metres *Front and sides enought to resist the 47 mm cannon bullets shooted from 500 metres *One 47 mm cannon (or higher caliber) *One 13 mm anti-aicraft machine gun on the top *One 7,9 mm machine gun to protect from infranty *The few periscopes giving the 360° of vision around the tank *The engine with warming and freshing starter *The device to create the smoke screen *The 10 kilometres-range radio *The maximal speed 25 km/h or higher *The range 200-250 km or higher *The possibility to ride on 35°-40° beacons *The possibility to ride through 2,20 metres ditches, 0,8 metres walls and 1 metres fords *The median pressure on the ground 0,50 kG/cm² or lower The scorses of contest were underwhelming. As the tanks were new conctructions, in this times assessors of the track vehicles were rare in Poland - and with unknown causes nobody used help of foreign designers. Only three projects were reported - and only project of partnership S.A.B.E.M.S.- WSABP "Parowóz" ("the Steam Locomotive") companies got greenlight. Moreover, the company build two models to square the comission. This models were powered by small electric engines. This tank was designed by proffesor Ludwik Tadeusz Eberman (working for WSABP) of Lviv Polytechnic - and S.A.B.E.M.S. put the project forward. (Up to contest "Parowóz" was building only steam locomotives, and S.A.B.E.M.S. was building engines.) Unfortunatly, informations about two other projects (WB-10 competitors) are lost, but supposedly it was armored cars (or wheel tanks), not true tanks. One of them was four-axis, and the second was two-axis. Rise and disappointment The new project was so modern and complicated at that times. It was wheel-track tank, so it had possibility to change type of drive (wheels on roads, tracks to terrain). Some sources says that the WB-10 had even possibility to swimming and changing position of the hull vis-a-vis the chassis. Moreover, the chassis could have been used as base to build special tractor. The army ordered prototype of the new tank. The building took so long time, but finally two tanks was ready to tests. Regreattably, WB-10 became to be the giant anticlimax. The vehicle had so much malfunctions (resulting with too complicated design) and mistakes in design, what had the effect of problems with driving - and in other versions WB-10 was even not able to move off. This fail decided about quick fall of WB-10 project. Concepts of the new polish tank was rejected. British 6-ton tank of the Vickers company became to be new, succesful polish main tank. Fate The fate of the prototypes is unknown. They were probably just scrapped or earlier fitted in some army station as technical oddities. However, they were finaly destroyed. As WB-10 was total fail, this tank was not emblazoned too much. It was forgotten fast - and after the destructive world war II all informations about construction of it are lost. Facts about unknown design WB-10 was wheel-track tank with possibility to ratchet down the wheels. If it was really swimming tank, it must had drive screws to move in water. It was probably massive and slowly tank (in comparision with later vehicles), typical for this times. The prototypes could have been painted in khaki camouflage - this color was typical for polish prototypes (like Renault TSF or 4TP). It certainly complied with requirements of the contest, so WB-10 must had cannon of 47 mm or higher caliber, 13 (12,7?) mm anti-aircraft machine gun in the top and the one 7,9 (7,92?) mm machine gun to protect from enemy infranty. Moreover, it had some periscopes allowing to watch in all directions round the tank. The engine had electric starter to warm and fresh it. It must had devices to create the smoke screen and 10 km-range radio. Type of the 13 mm machine gun is unknown - french machine gun 13,2 mm Hotchkiss M1929 was designed years after contest for new polish tank. 13 could be just estimated number for 12,7 - typical calliber for anti-aircraft machine gun. The 7,9 mm machine gun is probably 7,92 mm Hotchkiss wz.25 - the conventional polish machine gun, improved version of the french Mle 1914 machine gun. Some tip is that prof. Eberman (WB-10 designer) was an assessor of the Diesel-type engines, so his tank probably had engine of this type. Theories Photos and pictures In the polish website Odkrywca.pl, in discussion "Fotka pancerniaków" were showed two photos (from Warsaw, 1939 year). They present soldiers next to the Fiat 621 trucks and two big, misterious tanks. This vehicles were not identified with any known tank. Thair old-style design suggests that it were WB-10 prototypes, fitted in army station. Moreover, this two tanks are similar, but not identical - what is according to version that prototypes were had some differences in design. However, the tanks have no wheels - but they could be removed - and looks too heavy as the swimming tank (but version about swimming possibility can be over-exaggerated). The photos are described as from Patton Museum collection. Moreover, czech magazine HPM published in number 9/2001 some schemes of tank called as WB-10. This version is very similar to tanks from photos, so it can be really true image of WB-10. Unfortunately, the schemes present only one of prototypes (it's from foreground of the described photo), the second is not included. Sources of czech artist's inspirations are unknown. WB-10 and the else tank? Polish writer Janusz Magnuski says in his book, that WB-10 prototypes were not only one built machines; that there was third tank. It was probably one of this two wheel tanks, which lost in contest with WB-10. The third tank was designed by proffesor Czerwiński (this person is not described) and failed equally as WB-10. Czech sources says, that this tank was build in only one copy. The second prototype was other tank, called WB-3. It's WB-3 was tested in 1927, and the WB-10 prototype was in build when the project was rejected (so WB-10 was never full built). Moreover, it's WB-3 was wheel-track tank, and WB-10 was not wheel-track, but full track tank. However, any polish sources says about tank called WB-3, so this version is precarius. Kategoria:Wpisy na blogach